Construction Worker Stops Assault After Approaching Attacker With Power Tool

HERMOSA BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A construction worker is being credited with stopping an assault of a woman in Hermosa Beach after he approached her attacker with a power drill.

Hermosa Beach police say a 49-year-old woman was walking on PCH and Pier Avenue with her 9-year-old niece Saturday evening, when 29-year-old Joel Jimenez, of Castaic, struck her on the buttocks, pulled her hair and started choking her.

A construction worker saw what was going on and brought a power tool with him in effort to ward off the suspect, Sgt. Robert Higgins told KCAL9.

Higgins said the attack appeared to be a random act. A witness caught the incident on camera.

Police do not have blood alcohol level results but say the suspect was intoxicated and could not recall what happened.

"He was allegedly with co-workers doing a pub crawl... drinking in the Hermosa Beach area," Higgins said.

Jimenez has been charged with assault likely to cause great bodily injury.

Higgins said police are grateful witnesses did the right thing.

"We had folks driving by... great witnesses. We had folks that were willing to intervene. With that the police got the bad guy in custody quickly and nobody was hurt too badly," Higgins said.

The name of the good Samaritan has not been released.